Theater-seat-indicating apparatus



R. H" MECURNEY.

THEATER SEAT mmcAnN APPARATUS.

APPUCATION FILED OCT. l| |919.

Patented Jan. 10, 1922.-

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1,403,048, Patqnted Jan. 10,1922.

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R. H. MECUBNEY.

THEATER SEAT INDICATING APPARATUS* APPLICATION man ocT. 1. 1919.

1,403,048, Patented Jun. l0, 1922,

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Specification of Letten Patent.

Patented aan, 1o, was.

Application filed October 1, 1819. Serial lo. $27,780.

To all whom it may concer-n:

Be it known that I, RALPH H. MscosNEY, of St. Albans, in the county of Franklin and State of Vermont, have invented a new Theater Seat indicating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

is invention s particularly designed for use in theater box offices and relates to the automatic indication upon a representation of the seating plan of the theater all unsold seatsin the theater for any performance for which reserved seat tickets are being sold, in order that a patron may select any individual seat or group of seats which be Still available.

this ob- The apparatus for accomplishing rawings,

ject is shown in the accompanying 1n which- Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of the indicator, ticket rack, and electrical circuits. Fi 2, is a sectional View on the line 2 2 ingFig. 1 of the ticket rack. Fig. 3, is an enlarged detail view illustrating the ticket compartments. Fig. 4, is an enlarged perspective, with parts broken away, of a ticket holder and its contacts. Fig. 5, is a diagram illustrating the electric circuits. Fig. 6, is a diagram showing the system for use in box oiices where tickets for more than one performance are on sale.

The apparatus comprises an indicator E, ticket rack F, and electrical connections therebetween. The indicator E, has a visual electrically controlled signal, suoli as an electric light G, for each reserved seat. These signals are arranged in a plurality of rows corresponding with the sections of seats in the theater. Fig. l, illustrates a numbered row ofeleven signal lights representing eleven seats of section A, of the theater. One side of the indicator is extended suiliciently tol provide signal lights for all the seats in a ser-tion. There are in practice as many of these rows of signal lights as there are sections of reserved seats in the theater, and as many lights in each row as there are seats in each section. The indicator thus constitutes a representation of the theater.

The cooperating ticket rack F. has a plurality of rows of pockets or compartments H containin the reserved tickets, there bemg a separa pocket for each ticket. 1, 'shows four rows of compartments corresponding with lsections A B, C, and D of the theater seats with e even numbered compartments ineach row. One side nd the bottom are broken away to indicate that the rack is extended to provide for all raserved `seat tickets. Each si electrically. connected with one of the ticket compartments and the organization is auch that the signal is displayed depend' u n whether or not the corresponding tic et as beensold.` With the specific organization shown the signal lights show for all unsold tickets 'and on the sale of a ticket its sig? nal light is extinguished and ut out of oommisslon. The indicator is ocated 'in the shelf of the window through which the ticket seller transacts business with the pntrons of the theater or other hall, and in view of the patrons. The indicator is a box hav ing a bottom I, carrying sockets J, for the signal lights. The cover K, of the box has rows of apertures a, one for each signal, each aperture being in register with the corresponding signal. Above these apertures is a sheet L, of transparent or translucent material,a through which.the signals show. This transparent sheet bears the number of the seats and letters o f the sections and con stitutes a planV or die ram of the reserved seats of the theater. 'ie cover K, is hinged at b, so that it maybe opened to get ocs to the si al Ii hts. The bottom of the indicator as ho es c, for the passagerof the wires leadin to and from the signal l' ht. Each poc et orcompartment H, o the ticket rack( has at Iits base a-two-part spring clip consisting of two fingers M and N insulated from each other by a support d, of insulating materia. An electric wire extends from each finger of each clip through a channel e, in the bas'e of the rack. Each ticket compartment is in circuit by means ot' the Atwo wires extending si nal light corresponding to the seat for which4 it is numbered. zich ticket 0, is supported by a metallic holder P, the lower end of which is bent to form a clasp f, to

al light is.

therefrom to the retain the ticket. AW'hen a holder with its ticket' is placed in a compartment, lts clasp is forced between the two spring lingers M .and N, thereby completing a circuit through the clip constitute by said lin ers; and since theclip is in a circuit wit its corresponding signal of the indicator, the ticket holder P constitutes a switch controlli the individual circuit to such light. ach holder P has a knob g, of insulating material to facilitate withdrawing it from its compartment.

Referring to Fig. 5, the circuits will be described in connection with a single sigrial and ticket holder. From an electric gene'i-V ator Q, a conductor 12, leads through a control switch R, to a bus-bar 13.- Branch wire 14, extends from the bus-bar. to each signal. One such wire 14 is numbered in Fig. 5, leading to the right hand light G. From this light leads a wire 15 tothe finger M, of the clip in the corresponding compartment. A wire 16, extends from the second finger N of this clip to a bus-bar 17, from which'a conductor 18 leads to the opposite pole of the generator Q. A similar circuit connects eac signal to its ticket compartment. Fig. 1, shows wires 15, running from the row of signals in the indicator to the corresponding pockets or compartments -in the first section A, of the ticket rank.. Also this figure and Fig. 2, show the 16, leading from all the compartments df.this rack section to the bus-bar 17. Each additional row of signal lights 'm the indicator is similarly connected to a bus-bar corresponding to bus-bar 13 to which the conductor 12, is also connected, and also to the compartments of a corresponding section of the ticket-rack; and the outgoin4 wires from the compartments of each additional section are connected through a bus-bar 17, to the return conductor 18. The Wires extending from the indicator to the ticket rack arein practice inserted into a cable. The control switch simultaneously opens ani closes allof the circuits. i 1

At all times where there arene patrons at the box oliice window and after each sale the control switch R, is opened and all signal lights are extinguished. When a patron desires to know the unsold seats the ticket seller closes the switch R, and at once all signal lights under seat marks on the diagram for which tickets are still in the rack will be lighted. Hence the patron can tell at a glance what seats are available for his purchase and he is also enabl'ed'to know exactly the location of his seats in the house at the time of purchase. When the patron states the seats he desires the ticket seller extracts the corresponding tickets and holders from the rack. thereby breaking the circuit to the signal lights beneath the designated seats. Thus through the extinguishcommon to all o tively, of the second racks.

ment of the corresponding lights the patron is certain that he has obtained the desired seats. For example, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that seats 7 andA 8 of .section A haYe'been sold. Accordingly, the

circuit is not completed in the compartments 7 and 8 and therefore signal lights 7 and 8 are extinguished showing unmistakably that these seats have been sold. At all times on closing the controlV switch the signal light's which shine indicate unsold seats.

'In order that the apparatus may be used for each day in the week and indicate the unsold seats for each day, or each performance, the organization lndicated'in Fig. 6 may be used. Fig. 6, illustrates apparatus for only three days, but this is sufficient to illustrate the principle. As shown there is but a single indicator, but there is'a separate ticket rack for each performance. Two signal lights G,'onl are shown and two ticket holders P, in eac rack, which is sufficient to explain the circuits. The conductor 12, leads from the generatoriQ, to the bus-bar 13, of each row of signals Gr of the indicator, a branch wire 14, leading to each signal. A switch ma.A be interposed in the conductor 12 as in igs. 1 and 5) but is not essential, and is omitted in Fig. 6. The return wire 15, from each si al leads to a bus-wire 19 the racks. 'From this buswire conductors 20, 20* and 20J lead to the initial ticket holders P, P* and P", res ec From t ese ticket holders the return wires 16, 16 and 16", connect respectively with bus-bars 17, 17 and 17". When the switch connects with contact 22, the Monday rack is in comniunicatin with the indicator; when in connection v. ith the contact 22, the Tuesday rack is`in communication with the indicator; and when in connection with the` contact 22", the Wednesday 7 rack is in communication with the indicator. WhenihLatron desires to know the unsold seats is ."Mody the ticket seller places the control switch .d as shown in Fig. 6, whereupon am holders having unsold tickets in the rack containing Mondays tickets will cause their cohresponding signal lights to glow in the indicator. If the patron had inquired for seats for Tuesday or Wednesday, the ticket seller would have turned the switch to enga e the proper contact, andgonly the signal ights for the unsold seats for that perfomance would shine.

The switch S, can be used to select the racks for the several performances, and also to turn on the lights. Or it can be used solely as a rack selector, and a switch like that of Figs 1 and 5, can be introduced in the supply conductor 12, to control the signal lights. Instead of the single multiple switch S, a separate switch can be employed for each rack. It suffices that there should bel a. selective switch mechanism by which electrically controlled signals each correrany one of the racks can be put in'to operasponding to a compartment and means 10 tive connection with theindicator. whereby the removal from the said rack of' I'claima ticket holder opens the electrical supply 5 A ticket indicating apparatus having, in circuit of a corresponding signal.

\ combination, a ticket rack comprisin a plu- Inwitness whereof, I have hereunto ralty of compartments for remova le cirsigned myname. cuit closing ticket holders, a plurality of RALPH H. MECORNEY. 

